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Previous projects:
1. Exploring Taipei's eats during my last Taipei trip
2. The "One new dish a day!" project and my review.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Making vegetarian balls or patties 自製素丸,素餅

Seitan with soft tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, carrots, and cilantro麵筋豆腐素丸,素餅
seitan with soft tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, carrots, and cilantro 素食丸,素食餅
Ingredients:
  • Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten, 1 package plus more, About 1.5 cups
  • Mori-Nu Tofu, soft, packaged in a carton box - 12 ounce
  • Shiitake mushrooms, shredded, 1/3 cup
  • Bamboo shoots, shredded, 1/3 cup
  • Carrots, shredded, 1/3 cup
  • Cilantro, shredded, some
  • Water, 1 cup
Directions:
  1. Mix all ingredients except gluten first
  2. Mix gluten flour in and knead with a spatula until smooth
  3. Rest the gluten dough in the refrigerator overnight
  4. Make gluten dough into balls or patties
  5. Fry each about 4-6 minutes.
Taste evaluation: Seitan made with this recipe has a very soft texture. Eaten alone, it tastes flavorless and must sprinkle some salt, pepper and/or your favorite sauce. However cooked in a soup of button mushrooms, daikons and carrots (as shown below), it is very tasty.
Seitan-tofu vegetarian balls cooked in soup of mushrooms, carrots and daikons 蘑菇蘿蔔湯煮麵筋豆腐素丸,素餅

絲瓜蘑菇素丸
Sponge gourd with seitan-tofu vegetarian balls and mushrooms 絲瓜蘑菇素丸

Caution: This is a dish extremely rich in protein content, since each teaspoon of the vital gluten contains 8 grams of protein. We have to be careful not to eat too much.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Chocolate Cherry Fruitcake巧克力櫻桃水果蛋糕

I made these cakes by following a King Arthur Flour recipe exactly. They came out very delicious. This was my second try.
Chocolate Cherry FruitcakeChocolate Cherry Fruitcake
At my first try, I made a few unintended adaptations. I added more brandy (½ cup more). I soaked the raspberry and the blueberry jam bits in the extra brandy and heated them in a microwave oven for a minute. I also omitted the candied cherries. The cakes (as shown in the picture below) turned out very good too - however, more of a chocolate walnut cake than a fruitcake. Personally I prefer my first batch because of its stronger brandy taste and reduced sweetness.
My first fruit cake
As you can see, the cherries were placed on top of the cake, instead of being mixed in the cake.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Vegetarian rice noodles素炒米粉 (2)

About ten days ago, I declared that my vegetarian rice noodles are very tasty! Indeed, they are. Last night I made another version of the vegetarian rice noodles with some carrots, enoki mushrooms, soy bean sprouts, green onions, and fried tofu. The texture of enoki mushrooms and soy bean sprouts work really well with rice noodles.
Vegetarian rice noodles素炒米粉

Tempura king oyster mushrooms 炸杏鮑菇素排

Deep fried breaded mushroom slices
Tempura king oyster mushrooms 炸杏鮑菇素排
Ingredients:
  1. King Oyster Mushrooms, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices
  2. Soy sauce or milk with salt and pepper
  3. All purpose flour
  4. Egg, 2, beaten and mixed with equal volume of water
  5. Panko bread crumbs
Directions:
  1. Soak mushrooms in soy sauce or milk for a few minutes;
  2. Dip the mushrooms in flour, then, in egg/water mixture, and, last, in the Panko bread crumbs; the breaded mushroom slices may be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to fry;
  3. Fry the breaded mushroom slices in hot oil for 4-5 minutes and serve immediately.
Variation:Dipping the mushroom slices in corn starch, instead of flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. They came out delicious too; and l
煎杏鮑菇素排

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Lentil Stew With Sweet Potatoes扁豆燉甜薯

This dish is an adaptation of Martha Rose Shulman's recipe "Lentil Stew With Pumpkin or Sweet Potatoes" published in The New York Times on November 15, 2010.
Lentil Stew With Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
  • lentils, cooked, 1 cup
  • Vegetable broth, 2 cups
  • Turmeric, 1/6 teaspoon
  • Cilantro, 10 sprigs
  • Ginger powder, 1/3 teaspoon
  • Carrot, small, 1
  • Sweet potatoes, 1 (I used Japanese sweet potatoes)
  • Tomato, 1
  • Parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon
Directions:
  1. Put all ingredients, except the parsley, in a pot and stew for 30 minutes;
  2. Remove from stove, add parsley, adjust taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms 扁豆十榖米腰果釀蘑菇

This is a recipe of the vegan crew's. I follow the recipe closely except that
  • I used a blend of 10 grains, instead of brown rice;
  • I used some shiitake mushrooms, since I had only one portobello mushroom.
The only step I will do differently next time is to add cashews on top, not in the mixture, or add them right before serving to avoid their becoming soggy.
Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms 扁豆十榖米腰果釀蘑菇

Spicy Lentil-Walnut Burgers 辣扁豆核桃素漢堡

This is a Martha Stewart recipe. I love this veggie burger since it is very spicy and delicious. I used sandwich rolls, instead of pita. Since I was using rolls with this burger, I should have sliced the tomato thinner and chopped up the avocado.
Spicy Lentil-Walnut Burgers 辣扁豆核桃素漢堡

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Vegetarian rice noodles素炒米粉

I'm happy to declare that my vegetarian rice noodles are very tasty! Tonight I cooked a kind of pumpkin-flavored rice noodles with some carrot, leek, Shiitake mushrooms, vegetarian tempura, and eggs. Basically I cut each ingredient into thin threads; and then cooked each ingredient separately. At the end, I mixed all ingredients together.
Vegetarian rice noodles素炒米粉
My other versions of vegetarian rice noodles:

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Roasted taro chips 烤芋頭片

Roasted taro chips (烤芋頭片) along with roasted sweet potato chips (烤甜薯片)
Roasted taro chips and sweet potato chips
The taro chips were made the same way as the sweet potato chips. They have a firm texture and taste really good with a little salt.

Vegetable broth 蔬菜鮮湯

I have made this vegetable broth a couple times in the past week based on a recipe on page 20 of "The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups". It is very delicious. I used it in my vegetarian dishes to enhance their flavors. I also served it as soup at our dinner table and the meat-eater in our house would ask for a second bowl. Not wasting anything, I ate the vegetables which were still tasty afterwards and a good source of fibers.

Ingredients for the vegetable broth 蔬菜鮮湯材料:
Ingredients for a vegetable broth 蔬菜湯材料
The above picture shows what I used to make the broth; however, doesn't show how much I used. I used more broccoli stems (about 1 cup) than shown in this picture. For 3 liters of broth, I used 2 teaspoonfuls of thyme, 5 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 cup of wine. If you have any questions, please refer to the original recipe or ask me via a comment.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Steamed sea bass, miso-flavored 蒸桂花魚,味曾口味

Steamed sea bass, miso-flavored 蒸桂花魚,味曾口味
Ingredients:
  • Miso, 2 Tablespoon
  • Shaoxing wine, 1/2 cup
  • Sea bass steak,one piece
  • Green onions,3
  • Ginger, 6 slices
  • Sugar, some, optional
  • A celery stalk or a couple cabbage leaves (optional)
  • Water, 1/4 cup (skip this, if you choose the oven method)
Directions:
Stove top method
  1. Mix miso with wine to form a thick paste and apply the paste on both sides of the fish steak. Optionally you may sprinkle some sugar over the fish.
  2. Put the fish steak (on top of a celery stalk or a couple cabbage leaves, if you choose to,) in a stainless steel pot with a cover. Spread the green onions and ginger slices evenly over the fish steak. Add the water to the pot (not directly over the fish).
  3. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat a little lower and cook for 15 minutes. Don't let the water dry up; add more water, if needed.
Oven method
This is a worry-free method. That is, you don't have to worry about fish burning on the stove top. However it takes a little longer to cook the fish.
  1. Follow the first two steps of the "stove top method", but skip the water.
  2. Put the covered pot in an oven and bake at 450°F for 25 minutes.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

A vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner 感恩節素席

In the past I had always roasted a turkey on Thanksgiving day each year. I didn't roast a turkey this year, since my elder son didn't come home to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. Instead I prepared a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast for just three of us - my husband, my younger son and myself. The feast included Tofurky roast and gravy, stuffing, green beans, Brussels sprouts , sweet potatoes, white rice, vegetarian fried rice and taro walnut bread. The dinner was very satisfying.
Our first vegetarian Thanksgiving feast!

Tofurky roast is unexpectedly delicious! My husband, who doesn't want to become a vegetarian yet, declared that he could have Tofurky roast, instead of turkey, on Thanksgiving in the future.
Tofurky roast

Chestnut stuffing - was based on a Martha Stewart recipe. This was a great way to use up my stash of frozen breads. I also used the vegetable broth that I had made yesterday in this stuffing.
Chestnut stuffing

Green beans with walnuts was based on a recipe in the "The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes", p. 287. I overcooked the green beans a bit.
Green beans with walnuts

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin - a Trader Joe's product.
Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

Taro walnut bread 芋頭核桃蛋糕
Taro walnut bread 芋頭核桃蛋糕

Taro walnut bread 芋頭核桃蛋糕

Taro walnut bread 芋頭核桃蛋糕 Taro walnut bread 芋頭核桃蛋糕
I made this delicious taro walnut bread according to Mark Bittman's vegetable-and-nut bread recipe. In the past I had made a sweet potato nut bread 甜薯核桃蛋糕 according to the same recipe.

I love to warm the bread in a microwave oven before eating it, since the distinct taro taste and smell is strongest only when it is warm .

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Mushrooms and Chinese cabbage stew 香菇燉白菜

Mushrooms and Chinese cabbage stew 香菇燉白菜 - very delicious!
Mushrooms and Chinese cabbage stew 香菇燉白菜
As the soup base for this dish, I used the vegetable broth that I had made from several kinds of vegetables . I cooked this dish for 30 minutes and thickened the liquid with some corn starch. I could have added some milk and sugar and turn this dish into a creaming cabbage stew (奶油白菜).

Shredded dry tofu salad 拌干絲
拌干絲
I boiled each ingredients in water briefly before mixing them with salt and sesame oil. I added some cilantro to give this dish a more sophisticated taste.

Cauliflower florets sauteed with shallots and garlic 炒菜花 - a makeover from yesterday's dish.
Sauteed Cauliflower florets sauteed with shallots and garlic 炒菜花
Today, I cooked the cauliflower florets, which had been already cooked, however, not softened enough yet, for about another 20 minutes. The flavor of shallots and garlic finally soaked into the florets.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Delicious vegetarian fried rice 素炒飯

Almost every dish I made today was extremely delicious! I'm not sure it was my extremely good appetite or my excellent cooking skills. This vegetarian fried rice was so delicious that it was very hard for me to stop at one cup. I ended up eating one and a half cups. I had added eggs, dry tofu, walnuts, onions, peas, and carrots to the rice. I meant to add some sesame oil; however I forgot. Given that this dish is already this delicious, I doubt that anything else including the sesame oil can make it better.
Vegetarian fried rice 素炒飯

I made cauliflower (菜花) for a vegetable side dish. I steamed and then tossed the cauliflower florets with oil and preserved vegetables (榨菜). I could have cooked the cauliflower a little longer and let the flavor soak into the cauliflower florets.
Cauliflower florets 菜花

For another vegetable side dish, I broiled 4 Dr. Praeger's Tex Mex Veggie Burgers. (Sorry, there is no picture for the veggie burgers.) These burgers tasted really good too.

For desserts, I made a papaya smoothie for myself; and a pear-kiwi smoothie for my husband. Wow, my papaya smoothie was heavenly delicious! My husband loved his pear-kiwi smoothie very much too.

Papaya smoothie was made of 1 cup of milk and 2/3 cup of frozen papaya cubes.
Papaya smoothie

Pear-kiwi smoothie was made of 2/3 cups of milk, 1 ripe Anjou pear and 1 ripe kiwi.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Drunken chicken soup noodles

(請點此連接看中文版)
This is a way to make good use of the wine sauce, a delicious leftover from the effortless drunken chicken. It is very easy. Basically I cook each ingredient separately and then combine all. Usually I would dilute the wine sauce with an equal volume of water.

醉雞湯麵加芥藍苗和豆芽菜

Ingredients:
  1. Noodles, any type, cooked, 2 cups
  2. Chinese broccoli seedlings, steamed or boiled, 6-8
  3. Bean sprouts, steamed or boiled, 1cup
  4. Effortless druncken chicken, 4-6 pieces
  5. Wine sauce from Effortless druncken chicken, 1 cup
  6. Water,1 cup

Directions:
  1. Boil the water; add chicken and wine sauce; bring to a boil again; remove from the stove immediately;
  2. Evenly divide each ingredient into 2 big bowls; serve two.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

半畝園

我們是中午去半畝園的,不餓,叫的菜不多.但牛肉餡餅和花素蒸餃給我留下了深刻的印象.我很喜歡他們的菜.下次還要試大餅捲牛肉和雜醬麵.

牛肉餡餅 - 牛肉餡多汁,很細緻好吃.
半畝園的牛肉餡餅

花素蒸餃 - 餡很蓬鬆,也很細緻好吃.
半畝園的花素蒸餃
請點此連接看我們點的菜

地址: 台北市大安區東豐街33號

元樂的酒味鳳梨酥 - 值得一試!

我最愛有酒味的甜點.有一天路過元樂新生門市部時,看到他們有酒味的鳳梨酥,就走了進去.發現他們的鳳梨酥有四種口味: 紅酒,白蘭地,紅酒加玫瑰,白蘭地加玫瑰, 我各買了一個,回家嚐了之後,覺得確實是和普通的鳳梨酥不一樣,非常好吃.當然我後來又去了兩次.我的朋友們,如果你們還沒嚐過元樂的酒味鳳梨酥,值得一試!
元樂的酒味鳳梨酥有四種

地址: 台北市大安區新生南路一段95號
電話: (02) 8772-3536
網址: http://www.ipie2.com/pineapple/index.html

Sunday, November 14, 2010

聖瑪莉 (SunMerry) 的墨魚洋芋培根麵包

我買這條麵包時,以為它是含高鈣的素麵包,吃的時候發現它是葷的,看了發票上打的麵包名字是"墨魚洋芋培根麵包",覺得很有趣,所以提一下.

外觀
聖瑪莉 (SunMerry) 的墨魚洋芋培根麵包

橫切面 -白色的部分是洋芋,紅色的是培根
聖瑪莉 (SunMerry) 的墨魚洋芋培根麵包

縱切面 -白色的部分是洋芋,紅色的是培根
聖瑪莉 (SunMerry) 的墨魚洋芋培根麵包

草菩提

草菩提提供的菜色很簡單,一種飯,8-9種麵和幾樣小菜包括豆腐皮捲.我估計一份飯或麵約含300-400卡路里,是素食者很適量,也很美味的午餐.我在家請客有素食者時,也喜歡把草菩提的豆腐皮捲當一盤素菜,來款待客人.

草菩提的綜合素拌麵
草菩提的綜合素拌麵 草菩提
請點此連接看我買過的其他菜
地址:台北市大安區信義路4段60-32號1樓
電話:(02)2705-2298

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Chef Fu's vegetable stew

(請點此連接看中文版)
This dish turned out very delicious.
Chef Fu's vegetable stew 傅大廚的燉蔬菜
Ingredients:
  1. Radishes, cut into chunks, 1 cup
  2. Carrots, cut into chunks, 1 cup
  3. Oyster mushrooms, 1 cup
  4. Fried tofu, 1 cup
  5. Water, 2 cups
Directions:
  1. Boil oyster mushrooms in water for 30 minutes;
  2. Add radish chunks to broth and continue to cook for 10 minutes;
  3. Add carrot chunks and fried tofu to broth and continue to cook for 3 minutes;
  4. Adjust taste with salt.

Monday, November 8, 2010

春天素食

我的朋友們,回台灣時,一定要試試春天素食 - 吃到飽的自助餐廳! 他們的菜色豐富,有歐洲口味的,有中國口味的,也有日式的素生魚片,有冷盤沙拉,養生湯,傳統中國菜,炒飯,炒米紛,點心等等. 他們的菜的味道也做得非常好. 來春天素食吃飯,一定要有計劃,先看看各種菜色,決定吃那種口味之後, 可以替自己設計一份包含養生湯,沙拉,開胃前菜,主菜,甜點,水果和果汁的套餐. 這樣一定會吃得滿意. 來這兒吃飯,最怕是沒計劃,很有可能會吃得過多,也很可能會吃得不滿意.

春天素食的環境也不錯,雖然人多,可是場地大,不嫌擠,桌布乾乾淨淨的,因為不准帶狗進餐廳,我們不必擔心椅子曾被狗坐過.


我自己拿的冷盤沙拉
冷盤沙拉
請點此連接看我拿的其他菜

地址:台北市和平東路一段177號3樓
電話:
(02)2393-0288、2393-2256
http://www.springfood.com.tw/

Saturday, November 6, 2010

富順樓

富順樓是一家老牌的北平餐館, 正宗的北平菜味道非常好,價錢更好。

臘肉炒芥藍
臘肉炒芥藍

請點此連接看我們點的其他菜

地址: 台北市信義區光復南路443巷2號1樓
電話:
02-2729-8053

Friday, November 5, 2010

龍翔園

龍翔園的菜味道非常好,價錢也非常好, 我們三人點了四個菜,送一碗湯,大約每人NT$375. 剩了很多菜,再來三個人,也夠.

半筋半肉
半筋半肉

請點此連接看我們點的其他菜

地址: 台北市四維路十號B1
電話: (02) 2705-2899

Thursday, November 4, 2010

榮榮園

榮榮園的生意非常好,我們是個星期四晚上去的,居然客滿, 好在我們預先訂了位. 榮榮園的菜味道很好,印象中價碼不定,有時合理,有時偏高,可能和選的菜有關.這次我們點了六個菜,三個小菜,送一盤臭豆腐,大約每人NT$620.

花椒魚肚
花椒魚肚

請點此連接看我們點的其他菜

地址: 台北市大安區信義路四段25號2樓(近捷運大安站).
電話: (02)2703-8822

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Porridge made with beef soup

(請點此連接看中文版)
牛肉湯粥 Porridge made with beef soup

Ingredients: make two servings
  1. Soup from "Braised beef with soup, cooked using a thermal cooker", 1 cup
  2. Water, 2 cups
  3. Rice, cooked, 1.5 cups
  4. Beef from "Braised beef with soup, cooked using a thermal cooker", 6 pieces
  5. Green vegetables, cooked, 1 cup
Directions:
  1. Heat the soup, the water and the rice in a pot; boil for a couple minutes; turn off the stove; cover; wait until ready to cook;
  2. Bring the rice and soup mixture to a boil and add more water if necessary
  3. Add the beef and the green vegetables into the rice and soup mixture; bring to a boil again; cover; turn off the heat and leave the pot on the hot stove for 3 minutes;
  4. The beef and the vegetables should be warm enough and the porridge is ready.

銀翼餐廳

銀翼沒有電梯,再加上印象中總覺得他們的價碼較高, 所以我們好久沒去.這次去用午餐,發現他們的樓梯沒那麼可怕,菜的味道很好,價錢也很合理,只可惜我們晚上有應酬,同去的朋友們味口也不大,叫的菜不多.

文思豆腐,看刀工多細!
文思豆腐
請點此連接看我們點的其他菜

地址:
台北市大安區金山南路二段18號2樓‎
TEL: (02) 2341-7799

Monday, November 1, 2010

香港鑫華茶餐廳

香港鑫華茶餐廳的生意非常興旺,他們的菜在台北算是很道地的廣東菜.

鹹魚蒸肉餅飯
鹹魚蒸肉餅飯 NT$90
請點此連接看我們點的其他菜

地址: 台北市金華街126-1號
電話: (02)2391-2022

Braised beef with soup, cooked using a thermal cooker

(請點此連接看中文版)
A thermal cooker is also called a vacuum cooker. Beef cooked using a thermal cooker is very tender and, however, keeps its flavor. This recipe generates about 3 cups of beef soup which is also very delicious . The beef and soup may be served with noodles. I would like to point out one bad thing about this dish. That is, it is so delicious that one cannot stop at just eating one or two pieces.
紅燒牛肉麵 Braised beef with noodles
Ingredients:
  1. Beef shanks, about 2 pounds, cut into slices of 1.5 inches in thickness.
  2. Shaoxing rice wine, 1/2 cup
  3. Ginger, 6 slices
  4. Plum tomatoes, 3, diced
  5. Green onions, 2
  6. Salt, 1 Tablespoon
  7. Sugar, 1 Tablespoon
  8. Water, 3 cups
Directions:
  1. Boil beef in water for 5 minutes;
  2. Transfer beef into the removable pot of a vacuum cooker;
  3. Reserve the water and remove the foam on top;
  4. Add all other ingredients and the reserved water to the removable pot with the beef;
  5. Place the removable pot on stove and boil the beef mixture for 5 minutes, partially covered;
  6. Place the removable pot into the vacuum flask;
  7. Wait for an hour;
  8. Take the removable pot out of the vacuum flask;
  9. Place the removable pot on stove and boil the beef mixture again for 5 minutes, partially covered;
  10. Place the removable pot back into the vacuum flask again;
  11. Wait for another hour, the beef should be ready.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Chef Fu's Creative cold noodle sauce - Yogurt and peanut butter sauce

(請點此連接看中文版)
A few days ago, on a whim, I felt like eating cold noodles. Since I had no sesame sauce at hand, I decided to make my own from scratch with peanut butter. I combined some peanut butter with some water, some soy sauce, some sugar, some vinegar, and some sesame oil; and mixed all ingredients until the sauce became smooth. On another whim, I thought why not add some plain yogurt in the sauce. At this time my husband, who had tasted enough of my creative food, vigorously protested against this idea. He said all he wanted was a plate of cold noodles made of traditional sauce - that is, guaranteed to be delicious. So I had to reserve half of the peanut butter sauce that I had just made for him. I mixed some plain yogurt to the other half and made my own cold noodles with it. My cold noodles turned out unexpectedly extremely delicious! The best cold noodles I ever tasted! The plain yogurt enhanced the taste of cold noodles by making them more creamy.

Yogurt and peanut butter sauce
Ingredients:
I didn't record the amount that I used for each ingredient on that day. At this moment I can only encourage you to use an appropriate amount for each ingredient and then adjust each by tasting the resulting sauce. In the near future I will make this sauce again and record the best amount to use for each ingredient. Then I will come back to update this post.

1. Peanut butter, the creamy type, 2 tablespoons
2. Water, 2 tablespoons
3. Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
4. Sugar, 1 tablespoon
5. Vinegar, 1 teaspoon
6. Sesame oil, 1 teaspoon
7. Plain yogurt, from whole milk, 1/4 cup

Directions:
  1. Mix ingredients 1-6 until the sauce is smooth.
  2. Add the plain yogurt and mix well.
So far I have only tried the combination of yogurt and peanut butter, where yogurt greatly enhances the taste of cold noodles by making them creamy. I would think that the combination of yogurt and sesame paste should have a similar effect. When I told a friend of mine about this creative combination, she was excited to suggest that sour cream might have a similar effect too. There are quite a few combinations to experiment here! My friends, if you are interested in trying this recipe or making variations of it, please do so and be sure to come back here to share your experiences!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Exploring Taipei's eats - How did I prepare simple, healthy and delicious meals during my last trip to Taipei?

(請點此連接看中文版)

Before our mid-September trip to Taipei, I had decided more or less that I would not spend too much time on cooking. Since our stay in Taipei would be short - only 4 weeks, I would like to spend more time with my father, instead of in the kitchen.

We arrived at Taipei on September 17, 2010. During the first week of our 4-week stay, it was still mostly hot and humid. The hot weather, coupled with the fact that there was no air conditioning in my Taipei kitchen, reconfirmed that my plan of no cooking during this trip was a smart one.

This trip turned into a trip of exploring Taipei’s eats. We explored quite a few good restaurants with family and friends. For everyday meals, we visited many small stores in our neighborhood for boxed meals and other light meals. For me, either eating in a restaurant or buying food from a small store involved the same steps, outlined below.

  1. Pick the store or the restaurant to evaluate for the food that we are interested in at the time.
  2. Study the menu and pick the dishes carefully.
  3. Photograph the dishes before starting to eat them.
  4. Critique the dishes and try to learn tips that may have enhanced the flavor of the food - the combination of ingredients, the way the food is cut or cooked, and etc.
  5. Record the eating experience so that I may blog about it later. Sometimes, I had to visit a store or a restaurant multiple times to collect enough information or pictures so that I might be able to blog about it.

Here’s a list of restaurants and small stores that we visited during this trip. Some of them I have already blogged about; others I will soon.

  1. 春天素食
  2. 寬心園精緻蔬食 Easy House Vegetarian Cuisine
  3. 陽明春天蔬食創作料理 - we re-visited this restaurant a week after the first visit.
  4. 絹絲谷森林渡假村
  5. 台北的冶春茶社
  6. 銀翼
  7. 榮榮園
  8. 龍翔園
  9. 半畝園
  10. 富順樓
  11. 在中正紀念堂的劇院軒
  12. 恬園餐廳
  13. 草菩提
  14. 原興饅頭店
  15. 楊媽媽的蔥油餅
  16. 香港鑫華茶餐廳
  17. 香港廣東粥麵粉飯點心名店
  18. 陳園清燉牛肉麵館 - 不好吃退錢!
  19. 悟饕池上飯包
  20. 強記港式小館 Chiang Ji Hong Kong-style Restaurant
  21. 春日日本料理的便當 Spring Japanese Food's lunch box
  22. 周胖子餃子館 Fatty Zhou's Dumpling House
  23. 元樂的酒味鳳梨酥
  24. 紅葉的棗泥核桃蛋糕
  25. Sun Merry's squid bread
Hopefully our experience with Taipei’s eats may somehow help our friends visiting Taipei in the near future.

Friday, October 22, 2010

絹絲谷森林渡假村

朋友帶我們到陽明山走走,在絹絲谷森林渡假村午餐,絹絲谷的環境幽美,沒想到台北附近有這樣的世外桃源, 那天有點兒雨, 只有我們五個客人,看著美麗的景色,聆聽著流水聲,沒有任何雜人和絲毫噪音, 這種享受在晴天或假日多半是不可能的.在這兒我第一次吃到了讓我著迷的水蓮和檳榔花(半天花),我們點的其他的菜味道也很好.

乾煎海魚
乾煎海魚

白玉半天花
白玉半天花

清炒野蓮
清炒野蓮

高麗菜苗
高麗菜苗

三杯土雞
三杯土雞

蜜汁透抽
蜜汁透抽

地址:
絹絲谷森林渡假村絹絲谷森林渡假村